I’m not a good tourist… [Backpacking over 60]

This is the fifth instalment of Libby’s incredible backpacking adventure! To read her last post, click here.

What a day, no driving so we took the advice of our hosts and caught the train. It was an easy walk to the station right next door to where we went for dinner the night before.

The trains are clean and fast and our first priority was an internet cafe, before again wandering around the city. We walked off the train and right into an internet cafe; a group email was sent and all our photos were downloaded. For the first time since we had arrived we bought some gifts for our grandchildren and posted them off from here… easier than carrying them around with us. Before doing some sight-seeing and heading for Fan Park, we decided to have lunch. It was summer and so beautiful; we decided to eat in an open restaurant. It was set up in a big square with what looked like a castle built around it. The food was lovely and the waiter we had was very attentive and even more so when my husband gave him a large tip! I went off to find the loo and thought I might have got lost as the room I went to was very opulent with these beautiful heavy brocade curtains and the furniture was antiques and polished so you could see your face in it. I realised this was part of the ladies powder room and here was me in a pair of cargo pants a t-shirt and runners. I felt as though I should have been dressed for the occasion… even though I was only going to the loo!

Eventually we went back to the old city and we found the most beautiful old church, it wasn’t very wide but it just kept going up. The walls were covered in old paintings and a lot of the ornate walls were covered in gold leaf. Although it sounds very opulent, it had a very serene feeling which just drew you to the pews. I sat for quite a long time and just let the place wash over me. I’m not a religious person so that gives you an idea of just what the atmosphere was like.

There were lots of little winding cobbled streets with lots of lovely old world shops. yet some you would go inside and they were so modern it was in stark contrast to the facade. We had our fill of doing the tourist thing… I don’t think I make a good tourist! What a tourist is supposed to like and what I enjoy doing is very different.

Fan Park here we come. Again we had to catch a train and it didn’t matter if you could read German or not. All we did was follow the Australian flags being worn as capes, sarongs and headdresses. I’m not sure you are supposed to do that with our flag but none was done in malice and the people were just so happy and enjoying themselves you couldn’t help but get caught up in the carnival atmosphere.

When we got to Fan Park, things were happening everywhere… it was just go, go, go and there were flags from every country being used the same as ours. It was just so colourful and everyone was having a good time. We watched the big screen and watched Australia getting done or so we thought! We were starting to get tired and had two trains to catch to get back to our base. On the way back we were told by the train police that we had bought the wrong tickets for our trip. We think he said that! We couldn’t understand him or he us, so he shrugged his shoulders and kept on his way until he found a countryman that also must have done something wrong and he had a right old barney with him.

Early to bed as tomorrow we are on the road again – we are heading towards Vienna where we have friends in the Foreign Office just a couple of stops along the way. Mad King Ludwig II, built some beautiful castles and we were going to see Linderhof and Neuschwanstein.

Stay tuned to find out what happens in Linderhof next!

Do you consider yourself a good tourist? Why? Why not? Tell us in the comments below…